The invention relates to a transducer mounting device, and more particularly to a transducer mounting device on a hospital operating table.
During hospital operating procedures, and especially during major surgery, it is necessary to position transducers at the level of the patient's heart. One or more transducers are used to monitor the patient's blood pressure. It is typical to monitor the patient's condition by taking readings at the left radial artery, the pulmonary artery and by monitoring the central venus pressure. In order for the readings from the transducers to be most accurate, each transducer should be maintained at the level of the patient's heart. A transducer support holds the one or more transducers that are being used during the operation. Thus the transducer support must be oriented with reference to the patient to achieve the desired relationship between each transducer and the level of the patient's heart. The usual practice to achieve this relationship is to mount the transducer support on a stationary intravenous pole which in turn is supported on a wheeled stand along side the operating table.
During operating procedures, it is often necessary to raise, lower, rotate or tilt the operating table. Whenever one of these movements is effected, it then becomes necessary to reposition the transducer support on the intravenous pole to maintain the transducer at the exact level of the patient's heart.
The present invention provides a transducer mounting device that is attached directly to the hospital operating table. Any movement of the operating table, whether it is raised, lowered, rotated or tilted, will not affect the positioning of the transducer at the level of the patient's heart. The transducer mounting device has an extension finger that slides into an adjustable bracket on the frame of the operating table. The bracket holds the transducer mounting device securely in place during use, yet provides for easy removal of the mounting device when a transducer is not needed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a transducer mounting device that maintains the transducer at the level of the patient's heart at all times during the operating procedure.
It is a feature of the present invention to have the transducer mounting device attached directly to the hospital operating table by means of an adjustable bracket so that the transducer can be initially positioned at the level of the patient's heart.
It is an advantage of the present invention that, when the operating table is raised, lowered, rotated or tilted during the operating procedure, the transducer will always remain at the level of the patient's heart.